Turkey's Minister Forecasts Rise In Gross Domestic Product
ISTANBUL - Turkey's state minister foresaw on Tuesday a rise in the gross domestic product.
Minister Mehmet Simsek said Turkey could record a 6 percent of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the following decade.
"Turkey will be mentioned together with countries like Canada, Italy and Korea in coming years," Simsek told participants of a meeting in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
The Financial Times and Turkish-British Chamber of Commerce & Industry are organizing Turkey Capital Markets Forum in Istanbul.
Simsek enumerated energy initiatives of the government as privatizing construction of hydro-electrical power plants and electricity distribution network, and launching wind and nuclear energy projects.
"We will open the first nuclear power plant tender of Turkey soon," he told the participants.
Simsek listed prior reforms of the government as labor force reform, amendments to maritime trade code, foundations law, amendment to article 301 of Turkish Penal Code that makes it a crime to insult "Turkishness."
The minister expressed government's determination to pass and implement all those reforms, and expressed his thought that Turkey would become a member of the European Union (EU).
"Turkey is an important actor in its region and it is not possible for Europe to turn its back to Turkey in the following centuries," Simsek said.
Simsek also said Europe needed Turkey if it wanted to become a better global actor.
Turkey Capital Markets Forum provides new ideas and insights into how the economy and financial markets are developing in Turkey. Gathering key international and local decision-makers, who will highlight the latest trends in finance, this timely event identifies key areas of growth, track the latest trends in the corporate and investment climate and appraise strategies to raise domestic and international capital.
In the sessions, participants are expected to focus on "Turkish Capital Markets: Setting the Context", "Preparing the Ground", and "Opportunities Ahead."
(BRC-AÖ)
